VZCZCXYZ0014
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUCNDT #0727/01 2491948
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061948Z SEP 07
FM USMISSION USUN NEW YORK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2545
INFO RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 0088
RUEHTG/AMEMBASSY TEGUCIGALPA 0127

UNCLAS USUN NEW YORK 000727 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR IO; S/WE; G/IWI; USAID FOR EGAT/WID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI EAID KWMN UN
SUBJECT: INSTRAW VOLUNTARY FUNDING REQUEST 
 
 ¶1. (U) Summary: Mission received the following note dated 
August 23, 2007, from the Permanent Representative of 
Honduras to the United Nations addressed to Amb. Khalizad, 
raising the need for voluntary funding for the United Nations 
International Research and Training Institute for the 
Advancement of Women (INSTRAW). (Comment:  The U.S. 
delegation in dealing with INSTRAW's budget at the May 2007 
session of the UN Fifth Committee argued against a subvention 
of approximately USD 350 thousand to cover INSTRAW's core 
budget needs and insisted that all funding should be on a 
voluntary basis.  End comment.)  In light of the recent 
reorganization of INSTRAW, the improvements made by the new 
Executive Director, and the position taken by the U.S. in 
budget discussions, Department may wish to give this request 
consideration.  Text of note follows in para 2 below.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) Begin text of Honduras note: 
 
Excellency, 
 
In my capacity as President of the Executive Board of the 
United Nations International Research and Training Institute 
for the Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW), I have the honour 
to present you with updated information on the Institute's 
activities. 
 
The current Executive Board comprises the Honorable 
Delegations of Belarus, Egypt, Grenada, Honduras, Israel, the 
Philippines, Slovakia, Spain, Syria, and Zimbabwe, and we are 
contributing to resource mobilization efforts for the 
Institute's core budget, which as you know operates on the 
basis of voluntary contributions. 
 
As you are aware, the UN General Assembly adopted a 
resolution on 29 June 2007 (A/RES/61/273), which granted 
UN-INSTRAW funding in order to continue its operations 
through 2007 on an exceptional and reimbursable basis, and in 
which the General Assembly "reiterates its appeal to Member 
States as a matter of urgency, to contribute voluntary funds 
in support of the Institute and to honour existing pledges." 
 
The Institute has been mandated by the United Nations to 
conduct research and training activities for the promotion of 
gender equality and the empowerment of women and has been 
part of the UN's gender equality entities since 1976.  The 
Institute has been a pioneer in research and training on such 
issues as:  gender and statistics; time-use data collection 
and analysis; women's role in the environment and sustainable 
development; and gender and new and renewable sources of 
energy. 
 
UN-INSTRAW's current programme of work focuses on three 
strategic areas: 
 
- Gender, peace and security - The Institute focuses on the 
integration of gender perspectives in security sector reform 
efforts and the full implementation of Security Council 
resolution 1325 in order to contribute towards the 
elimination of violence against women through research, 
training, and policy advocacy. 
 
- Gender, migration, remittances and development - The 
Institute is carrying out a series of case studies that seek 
to analyze the gender impact of remittances on local 
development and promote the formulation of polices that will 
improve the situation of women migrants. 
 
- Gender, Governance and Women's Political Participation - 
The Institute has produced a series of six research studies 
and various capacity-building materials on women's political 
participation at the local level and is implementing research 
and training activities in various countries throughout the 
world. 
 
The Institute works in three languages and has established a 
website that receives over 1,800,000 visitors per month and 
serves 50,000 downloads per month (see 
http://www.un-instraw.org).  In the future, it is envisaged 
that documents will be available in all the official United 
Nations languages. 
 
As you are aware, UN-INSTRAW has struggled to secure 
voluntary contributions towards the Institute's core budget. 
The lack of voluntary contributions has had as a consequence 
that on an exceptional basis requests for supplementary funds 
through subventions from the United Nations regular budget 
have been presented, which when granted have permitted the 
Institute to continue its operations although in a precarious 
and non sustainable manner. 
 
 
As a result of the Institutional revitalization process, 
launched in 2004, UN-INSTRAW has been very successful in 
responding to the specific requests of Member States and 
other entities of the UN System for technical cooperation in 
the areas under its mandate.  In addition, UN-INSTRAW has 
secured extra-budgetary funding for projects in the 
Institute's main area of work.  (The list of on-going 
projects is available in the web site of the Institute). 
 
On behalf of the Executive Board of UN-INSTRAW, I wish to 
express to you our confidence in the progress the Institute 
can achieve based on the experience of the last three years 
and in the vision and mission that we have approved and upon 
which the 2008-2011 Strategic Framework is based. 
 
Your country has given support to UN-INSTRAW throughout the 
years and it is very important that you continue to maintain 
your support to the Institute during this time of 
revitalization and change, especially as UN-INSTRAW is 
starting to produce positive concrete results that will 
contribute to making a difference in women's lives. 
 
In this regard, I would particularly appreciate that your 
Excellency submit to the consideration of your Government the 
possibility of making a voluntary contribution to the 
UN-INSTRAW Trust Fund for the core budget which will permit 
the continuous operation of the Institute during this period 
of transition and change.  It is our understanding that the 
"United Nations Pledging Conference for Development 
Activities" will be held on 12 November 2007. 
 
On behalf of the Executive Board, I thank you in advance for 
your support, and use this opportunity to convey to you the 
assurances of my highest consideration. 
 
End text of note. 
KHALILZAD